GB2566022B

GB2566022B - Vacuum cleaner

Info

Publication number: GB2566022B
Application number: GB1713848.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lee Shang-Heng
Original assignee: Zeng Hsing Industrial Co Ltd
Current assignee: Zeng Hsing Industrial Co Ltd
Priority date: 2017-08-30
Filing date: 2017-08-30
Publication date: 2019-10-16
Anticipated expiration: 2037-08-30
Also published as: GB201713848D0; GB2566022A

Description

VACUUM CLEANER

The disclosure relates t.o a vacuum cleaner to bepowered by different, power sources. A conventional vacuum cleaner is usually powered bymains electricity through electrical connectionbetween a. power plug of the conventional vacuum cleanerand a power socket. A conventional cordless vacuum,cleaner is usually driven by a motor that has arelatively low output, power which adversely affectsvacuuming performance of the cordless vacuum cleaner.

Therefore, an object of the present disclosure isto provide a vacuum cleaner capable of being driven bydifferent power sources and including a motor thatprovides a relatively high output power.

According t.o one aspect of t.he present disclosure,a vacuum cleaner includes a motor, an alternating currentto direct current (AC--to-DC) converting unit, anoperating unit, and a control unit. The motor isconfigured to be driven by direct current (DC)electricity and has an output power not less than 350watts. The AC-to-DC converting unit includes a firstpower supply, a DC stabilizer, a second power supplyand a rechargeable battery. The first power supply isconf igured to be electrically connected to a power socket,to receive mains electricity and is conf igured to convertmains electricity into first DC electricity. The DC

stabilizer is electrically connected to the first powersupply and the motor, and is configured to stabilizethe first DC electricity received from the first powersupply so as to output stabilized DC electricity witha current value that is maintained at a level not largerthan 20 amperes to the motor. The second power supplyis configured to be electrically connected to the powersocket to receive mains electricity, and is configuredto convert mains electricity into second DC electricity.The rechargeable battery is electrically connected tothe second power supply and the motor, and is configuredto be charged by the second DC electricity received fromthe second power supply. The operating unit includesa switch for turning on the vacuum cleaner. The controlunit is electrically connected to the first power supply,the second power supply and the switch . When the switchis in a conductive state and the control unit detectsthat the power socket provides mains electricity to thefirst and second power supplies, the vacuum cleaneroperates in an external power supply mode. In theexternal power supply mode , the control unit activatesthe first, power supply to convert mains electricity intothe first DC electricity so that the DC stabilizeroutputs the stabilized DC electricity to the motor, andactivates the second power supply to convert mainselectricity into the second DC electricity so that therechargeable battery is charged by the second. DC electricity .

Other features and advantages of the presentdisclosure will become apparent in the followingdetailed description of the embodiment with referenceto the accompanying drawings, of which: FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective diagram of a vacuumcleaner according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure; and FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the vacuumcleaner.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a vacuum cleaner 1according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.The vacuum cleaner 1 includes a motor 2, an alternatingcurrent to direct current (AC--to-DC) converting unit3, an operating unit 4, a control unit 6, a housing 7and a tube 71. The motor 2 is to be driven by directcurrent (DC) electricity and has an output power notless than 350 watts. In this embodiment, the motor 2is driven by DC electricity with a voltage value of 24volts. The housing 7 contains the motor 2 therein. Thetube 71 is in fluid communicat ion with an opening formedin the housing 7, and corresponds in position to themotor 2 for vacuuming up dust and dirt .

The AC-to-DC convert ing unit 3 includes a first powersupply 31, a DC stabilizer 32, a second power supply33 and a rechargeable battery 34. In this embodiment,the first and second power supplies 31 and 33 are electrically connected to a power socket 9 (e.g., household electrical outlet) through a power plug (notshown) when the power plug is plugged into the powersocket 9. The first power supply 31 is configured toconvert mains electricity from the power socket. 9 intofirst DC electricity. In one embodiment, the firstpower supply 31 outputs the first DC electricity witha voltage value of 24 volts. The DC stabilizer 32 iselectrically connected to the first power supply 31 andthe motor 2, and is configured to stabilize the firstDC electricity received from the first power supply 31so as to output stabilized DC electricity. In oneembodiment, the DC stabilizer 32 outputs the stabilizedDC electricity with a current value that is maintainedat a level not larger than 20 amperes to the motor 2,The second power supply 3 3 is configured to convert mainselectricity into second DC electricity. In oneembodiment, the second power supply 3 3 outputs the secondDC electricity with a voltage value ranging from 2 7 voltsto 28 volts and a current, value of 3 amperes . Note that,in this embodiment, the first, and second power supplies31, 33 are commercially available AC-to-DC power supplies provided with the function of electric powerconversion, and the DC stabilizer 32 includes a current,stabilizing circuit and the present disclosure is not.limited in this aspect.

The rechargeable battery 34 is electricsilly connected to the second power supply 33 and the motor2, and is to be charged by the second DC electricity-received from the second power supply 33. Therechargeable battery 34 has a relatively large capacity,e.g., larger than 6000 mAh (milli Ampere-hour) . In thisembodiment, the rechargeable battery 34 has a capacityof 8700 mAh.

The operating unit 4 includes a switch 41 for turningon the vacuum cleaner 1. In one embodiment, theoperating unit 4 is a user interface accessible andoperable by a user of the vacuum cleaner 1 and the switch41 is a power switch for turning the vacuum cleaner 1on or off . The control unit 6 is electrically connectedto the motor 2, the first power supply 31, the secondpower supply 33, the rechargeable battery 34 and theswitch 41.

When the switch 41 is in a conductive state for turningon the vacuum cleaner 1 and the control unit 6 detectsthat the power socket 9 provides mains electricity tothe first, and second power supplies 31 and 33, the vacuumcleaner 1. operates in an external power supply mode.In the external power supply mode, the control unit 6activates the first, power supply 31 to convert mainselectricity into the first DC electricity so that theDC stabilizer 32 outputs the stabilized DC electricityto the motor 2, deactivates the second power supply 33for a predetermined time period and activates the second power supply 33 to convert mains electricity into thesecond DC electricity for charging of the rechargeablebattery 34 upon elapsing of the predetermined time period.That is to say, in the external power supply mode, themotor 2 is powered up by the stabilized DC electricityconverted from mains electricity and the rechargeablebattery 34 is charged by the second DC electricity, whichis also converted from mains electricity, at the sametime. The predetermined time period is one second inthis embodiment. However, the predetermined timeperiod can be varied to any time period greater thanzero seconds and implementation of the same is notlimited to the disclosure herein. Note that by virtueof the DC stabilizer 32 that outputs the stabilized DCelectricity with the current value not larger than 20amperes to the motor 2 , the motor 2 would not. be damagedby inrush current as the vacuum cleaner 1 is poweredup. Further, damage to the rechargeable battery 34 dueto surge voltage resulting from abrupt input, of mainselectricity to the second power supply 33 can also beprevented since activation of the second power supply33 is delayed for one second when the control unit 6detects that the power socket 9 provides mainselectricity to the second power supply 33 . The controlunit 6 is a processor in this embodiment and the presentdisclosure is not limited in this aspect.

When the switch 41 is in the conductive state for turning on the vacuum cleaner 1 and the control unit6 detects that no mains electricity is provided to thefirst and second power supplies 31 and 3 3,. the vacuumcleaner 1 operates in a battery-powered mode. In thebattery-powered mode, the control unit. 6 controls therechargeable battery 34 to provide electricity to themotor 2 . It should be noted that in the battery-poweredmode, the motor 2 also has an output power not less than350 watts.

When the switch 41 is in a non-conductive state forturning off the vacuum cleaner 1 and the control unit6 detects that: the power socket 9 provides mainselectricity to at least the second power supply 33, thevacuum cleaner 1 operates in a battery-charging mode.In this embodiment, in the battery-charging mode, thepower socket 9 provides mains electricity to both ofthe first and second power supplies 31 and 33. In thebattery-charging mode, the control unit. 6 similarlydeactivates the second power supply 3.3 for thepredetermined time period, i.e., one second, andactivates the second power supply 33 to convert, mainselectricity into the second DC electricity for chargingthe rechargeable battery 34 upon elapsing of thepredetermined time period. At this time, the motor 2is controlled by the control unit. 6 t.o refrain fromoperation, and the rechargeable battery 34 is chargedby the second DC electricity.

To sum up, by virtue of the first and second powersupplies 31 and 33, the DC stabilizer 32, the controlunit 6 and the rechargeable battery 34, the vacuumcleaner 1 of this disclosure can operate in three modes, i.e., the external power supply mode, thebattery-powered mode and the battery-charging mode,based on whether mains electricity is provided to thefirst and second power supplies 31 and 33, and whetherthe switch 41 is in the conductive state or thenon-conduct ive state . In the external power supply mode ,the motor 2 has a relatively large output power not. lessthan 350 watts. Meanwhile, since the stabilized DCelectricity output by the DC stabilizer 32 to the motor2 has a current value not larger than 2 0 amperes, damageto the motor 2 by inrush current caused at the momentwhen the vacuum cleaner 1 is powered up can be prevented .In the battery-powered mode, since the rechargeablebattery 34 has a relatively large capacity, e.g., S700mAh, the motor 2 that is driven by the rechargeablebattery 34 also has an output power not less than 350‘watts and thus provides a relatively good vacuumingperformance to the vacuum cleaner 1.

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising: a motor being configured to be driven by directcurrent electricity and having an output power not lessthan 350 watts; an alternating current to direct current (AC···to-DC)converting unit including a first power supply configured to beelectrically connected to a power socket to receive mainselectricity, and configured to convert mainselectricity into first DC electricity, a DC stabilizer electrically connected to saidfirst power supply and said motor, and configured tostabilize the first DC electricity received from saidfirst, power supply so as to output stabilized DCelectricity with, a current value that is maintained atat level not larger than 20 amperes to said motor, a second power supply configured to beelectrically connected to the power socket to receivemains electricity, and configured to convert mainselectricity into second DC electricity, and a rechargeable battery electrically connectedto said second power supply and said motor, andconfigured to be charged by the second DC electricityreceived from said second power supply; an operating unit including a switch for turning onsaid vacuum cleaner; and a control unit electrically connected to said firstpower supply, said second power supply and said switch,wherein, when said switch is in a conductive stateand said control unit detects that the power socket,provides mains electricity to said first and second powersupplies, said vacuum cleaner operates in an externalpower supply mode, in which said control unit activatessaid first power supply to convert mains electricityinto the first. DC electricity so that said DC stabilizeroutputs the stabilized DC electricity to said motor,and to activate said second power supply to convert mainselectricity into the second DC electricity so that saidrechargeable? battery is charged by the second DCelect ricity .

2. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in Claim 1, wherein,when said switch is in the conductive state and saidcontrol unit detects that no mains electricity isprovided to said first, and second power supplies, saidvacuum cleaner operates in a battery-powered mode, inwhich said control unit, controls said rechargeablebattery to provide electricity to said motor.

3. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in Claim 1, wherein,when said vacuum cleaner operates in the external powersupply mode, said control unit deactivates said secondpower supply fox' a predetermined time period and activates said second power supply to convert mainselectricity into the second DC electricity for chargingsaid rechargeable battery upon elapsing of thepredetermined time period.

4. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in Claim 1, wherein,when said switch is in a non-conductive state and saidcontrol unit, detects that the power socket provides mainselectricity to at least said second power supply, saidvacuum cleaner operates in a battery-charging mode, inwhich said control unit activates said second powersupply to convert mains electricity into the second DCelectricity for charging of said rechargeable battery.

5. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in Claim 4, wherein,when said vacuum cleaner operates in thebattery-charging mode, said control unit deactivatessaid second power supply for a predetermined time periodand activates said second power supply to convert mainselectricity into the second DC electricity for chargingsaid rechargeable battery upon elapsing of thepredetermined time period.

6. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in Claim 1, whereinsaid first power supply is configured to output the first.DC electricity with a voltage value of 24 volts, andsaid second power supply is configured to output the second DC electricity with a voltage value ranging from27 volts to 28 volts and a current value of 3 amperes.

7. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in Claim 1, furthercomprising a housing containing said motor therein, anda tube corresponding in position to said motor forvacuuming up dust.